Everyone loves to take their dogs to social events and parties when they are permitted, but the 4th of July isn't the time to take your dog places. Many dogs suffer from anxiety of loud noises such as fireworks and thunder. Be aware of your dogs behavior and take extra precautions in the upcoming weekend. More pets go missing on the 4th of July than any other day in the year. The 5th of July is one of the busiest days for shelters and pounds.

Keep your dog inside for the most part. If you do take them outside make sure your fence and gates are secure, or keep them attached to you with a secure leash and collar.

When in the house and anxiety starts due to fireworks, put on the radio or tv to help cover the sounds up a bit for them.

If you go out, leave them home. If they are crate trained then put them in their crate in a secure area. If they are not crate trained make sure they are in a secure room where they can't escape or do harm to themselves if they start to panic.

If you plan on going out for long periods of time then consider having someone that is experienced dog sit for you or take them to someone that is responsible and knows how to handle anxiety such as a trainer or a vet.

You may also consider getting a Thunder Shirt for your dog to see if it helps with the anxiety. Some dogs may also require some medication from your vet if the anxiety is severe.

Gunner is roughly 7-8 months old. He was in a high kill shelter in Georgia and was to be put to sleep because he was said to be dog aggressive and "kennel crazy". I was tagged in his photo on facebook and fell in love with his face instantly. I contacted the rescue I work with and told them to pull Gunner and have him brought to me so I could evaluate him and see what behavioral issues, if any, were present. Gunner was pulled from the shelter and was brought to me here in Myrtle Beach. I quickly seen he wasn't aggressive in any sort of way and was just a misunderstood pit pup. He has since been trained with the basics in obedience. Gunner is now up for adoption!!!Gunner is fully vetted, neutered, crate trained, does well with cats and dogs, and has been around some children and did great. He needs to go to a family that knows and understands the breed and one that is semi active to keep him busy. If you or someone you know is interested feel free to contact us. Requirements for adoption:

I have seen so many people lately that have been using laser pointers to "play" with their dogs. What they don't see, is the ill effect that using a laser with a dog can have. I have seen dogs with severe behavioral problems due to someone using a laser or some other sort of light for amusement. When it comes down to any sort of play or exercise with dogs, they have to ultimately have some sort of fulfillment by "catching" whatever they may be chasing. A dog can not catch a laser so the lack of closure your dog gets from endlessly chasing and trying to catch the light is actually just screwing with their head, and you will hate how your dog acts once it becomes a set behavior to chase shadows and lights.

Continuous use of lasers with dogs will begin to make the dog OCD about any sort of light, reflections, and shadows. I have personally seen too many dogs with these behaviors and it takes a lot to manage the behaviors after the damage is done. People think it is cute and fun to watch the dog chase the light. I have seen some dogs chase the light until they are physically spent and drop. Owners don't realize the damage they are causing until the behaviors are extreme and they can no longer have a normal day because their dog is obsessed with anything that moves.

I have seen dogs that will go crazy if they see any sort of shadow or reflection and they will spin and bark and try to chase it. I have also seen dogs that were so obsessed that when the owner tried to physically stop the dog, the result was the owner getting bit by their own lovable pet. It is possible to manage the behaviors that appear in result of laser pointers but it is a long journey and is a life commitment to the dog to make sure the behaviors stay manged.

So before you pick up that laser and start to torment you dog's brain with it, DON'T. You will regret it in the future when you have to seek out the help of a professional for your dog. To see a dog have behavioral issues due to the result of a laser pointer is heartbreaking.

The reality is, the laser you have been using to "play" and "exercise" your dog was never for your dog.. it was for your amusement and the dog is going to suffer from it.

Most people don't quite know what to expect when their dog comes home from training.

Well during a two week board and train program your dog is worked multiple times a day every day. We gradually add distractions after the dog learns the basics, and we begin to greatly increase the distractions during training to ensure the dog can remain under control when the need arises. We take your dog anywhere and everywhere we can that is pet friendly to make sure they are secure in all situations and environments. Along with all this work they also get socialization time daily where they get to play with our pack and learn respect for other dogs as well.

The day we bring your dog home: When the dog comes home we will first let you visit with your dog and love on them because we know how much you missed them. Then we will sit down and go over the training methods that were used and explain the equipment to you and make sure you are comfortable with it. We will then go outside with the dog and work the dog with all the commands. I usually work them first to give you an idea what to expect then I hand the dog over to you and walk you through every command. I will give you pointers and walk you through any problems you may face while working the dog for the first time. I will work with everyone in the household to make sure everyone is comfortable.

Just because the dog has been through a training program and is back home does not mean the work is done. Now it is your responsibility to continue the work. You must work the dog daily and also continue to take the steps necessary to continue success with your dog; this means continue to take them to new places to work them and continue to keep them socialized around other dogs and people.

If at any time you run across a problem or situation you don't know how to handle don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We will either walk you through the problem or we will come out to you and help you work through it. We highly recommend all of our clients try to make it to as many of our group classes as they possibly can. At group classes the dogs get to work their obedience around distractions and other dogs and people, and you have us there to help you through any difficulties you run across. Remember, after training you have us for the rest of the dogs life!

Dog aggression of any kind can be an extremely terrifying ordeal and can put owners in a predicament. Owners are challenged with the thought that their beloved pet could do harm to another person or animal. In most cases aggression will cause the owners to isolate the dog or the dog must wear a muzzle at all times. These are not solutions to the problem rather just a way to work around it, and sadly aggressive dogs are usually put to sleep.

Aggression is usually due to an underlying cause of other behavioral issues that can be corrected with a structured rehabilitation and training program. In a lot of cases most aggression is fear based. The professionals summarize the cause of aggression as this: at one point the dog was scared of something and acted aggressively. The reaction resolved the situation at that time, however because the owner didn't correct the dog promptly, the dog learned that acting aggressive was a appropriate way to handle situations where they felt fear.

Any size dog can be aggressive. When larger dogs act out in aggression they are harder to handle so they are looked upon differently than a Chihuahua acting aggressively. Aggression can be classified as: barking, growling, stillness, lunging, charging, showing teeth, snapping, biting or shaking. A chihuahua may express aggression differently than a Doberman but the underlying cause of the aggression may be the same.

Pet owners try to avoid the stimuli that triggers the aggression in their dogs, which takes a toll on the owners. Trying to avoid what triggers the aggression causes owners not to socialize their dogs in public places and ultimately they spend less time with their dog. Through a process of socialization and training, Rocky Road K9 is confident that most aggression cases can be rehabilitated so pet owners can enjoy life with their dogs again.

Socialization starts at the early ages of puppy hood, but continue throughout the dogs entire life.

Ever wonder why a dog is really shy around new people, animals and places? or why a dog is 'jumpy' around certain noises and activities? Most people jump to the conclusion that a dog is shy, scared, jumpy and unpredictable in certain situations because they were abused, but that typically isn't the case. Lack of proper socialization as a puppy and throughout the life of the dog is usually the main cause of these behaviors. ﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿The Importance of Socializing Your Dog﻿Socialization means exposing your dog to as many new people, animals, environments and other stimuli as possible without overwhelming them. Proper socialization will engage all of your dog's senses through exposure to the sights, sounds and smells of day-to-day life. This exposure will desensitize and condition your dog so that he develops a comfort level with different and new situations.

An unsocialized dog is unlikely to cope well with changes in his environment or situation, making him difficult to handle for his owner, veterinarian, groomer, pet sitter, and any visitors to the dog's home. ﻿

The most important time to socialize a puppy is during their first 3 months of life. For most people, that means starting the process on puppy’s very first day home. The first 3 months of your dog’s life are when sociability outweighs fear, and her brain is most inclined to accept new experiences. What your pup encounters during this critical time will shape her character, temperament and behavior for the rest of her life. If your puppy isn’t socialized during their first 3 months, it can increase the risk of behavior problems later in life, such as fear, avoidance and aggression. These problems can be excruciatingly difficult to fix in an older animal.

Budweiser has made a new commercial that has made it's way around the web and says more than words alone can say. Remember those that depend on you, don't drink and drive!

﻿This is just a story of dog I started to foster when I still lived and trained in Ohio and her story.

Today I am going to tell you about Eve. Eve is a sweet little pittie that has had a rough life. I first seen Eve on a facebook feed from a rescue that was near me when I lived in Ohio. Eve at the time in a shelter in Georgia and was set to be put to sleep the next day. Something about Eve pulled me in and I couldn't stop thinking about her. Finally just with hours to spare I contacted the rescue and told them who I was and what I did. I sent them my credentials and talked for quite a while with the owner. Shortly after our talk she arranged to have Eve pulled and transported to Ohio.

Eve was said to be very dog aggressive and not many would give her a chance. I seen something in her eyes just from the picture that was online. I agreed to foster her and begin to train her and fully evaluate her to see what type of home she would fit in best.

Eve made her way to me in Ohio and I began to train her. It didn't take long to realize she was not dog aggressive and honestly didn't have an aggressive bone in her body. She is the biggest sweetest girl I have ever met. I worked with the rescue and we started up an adoption event at local pet stores. We would take multiple dogs at a time and show people that pit bulls are not what most think. Eve went to stay with the rescue again after I took a job and was required to move to NC. Eve was adopted out with another pit from the rescue around the same time to what we thought would be a great home. All checked out and it looked like it was a perfect fit for Eve.

After living in NC for a few months the rescue contacted me and said they had found Eve and the other pit online in another shelter. The rescue went to great lengths to get the dogs pulled from the shelter. She also did everything she could to contact the adopters, but of course it wasn't possible to get in contact with them for quite a while. When she finally managed to get in contact the people claimed the dogs were stolen, yet no attempt to find them was ever made. Eve stayed with the rescue for a few more months with no luck of getting adopted. Finally we decided to have Eve brought back to us in NC so we could again hold her as a foster and I could continue her training. We are now in SC and Eve remains with us. She is fully obedience trained and is an amazing dog. She is very dog friendly and even cat friendly. She loves people and is great with children.

The picture above is Eve playing with our cat when we lived in Ohio.

Below is a picture of Eve when I first seen her on Facebook when she was in the shelter in Georgia﻿

Dog parks can be fun for our dog, and can be a good way to expend some of his boundless energy. However, these parks are not for everyone. The often chaotic environment may be stressful for some dogs, may encourage dog to dog aggression, and may also result in dog fights. I personally do not recommend dog parks. I have been to a few, some were really nice places where most owners were aware of what was going on and had control of their dogs but other parks were dirty and people just let their aggressive dogs rush other dogs and attack them at the gates and owners acted like it wasn't their dogs fault but instead it was ours. The Good:

Provides good exercise for our furry friends

Helps socialize our dogs to new people and dogs

Convenient and free

The Bad:

Dogs may get into fights

Dogs may get injured

Dogs may accidentally injure a person or another dog

May develop fear and aggression issues

People focus on socializing with others rather than focusing on their dogs

Some people may bring dominant, aggressive, or fearful dogs

Some people will physically "correct" other peoples dogs

People who bring really young children or children that do not know how to interact with dogs

﻿So the big question... Should you take your dog to a dog park?﻿The quality of a dog park depends on the people who frequent it. If we want to explore this dog activity, first, get all the information we can on the park. If we are happy with what we see, then visit the park before bringing our dog.If our dog absolutely loves playing with other dogs, we can consider doggy daycare, group dog walking, or inviting friendly dogs over to our house.A dog park can be very stressful on both owner and dog. Unless our dog is very balanced, and we have good off-lea﻿﻿sh contro﻿﻿l over him, a chaotic park environment may not be a good idea. If a dog just wants to play fetch, or if an older dog just wants some peace and quiet, it is best not bring him to a dog park. ﻿﻿In such ﻿﻿circumstances, an off-leash trail, or a large school field will probably make the dog much happier.

The Place command is a very valuable command to teach your dog. "Place" is any object that is different than the ground and has defined edges such as a dog bed or a chair. When on "Place" a dog can do whatever he/she wants as long as all four paws remain on the "Place." You can use the "Place" command when you have guests over and you don't want your dog to rush the door and jump on the guests. You can also use "Place" when you are eating meals to keep your dog from begging for your food. "Place" gives you the ability to have more freedom with your dogs. Below is a picture of Henry Placing on a stone pillar at a park.